13 siblings, one Paris dream: Sprint sensation defies back-breaking crisis

Calab Law has Australian Olympic history in his sights, the sprinter determined to cast aside a harrowing period in which he suffered a severe back injury that threatened his quest for the Paris podium.

Life has always been one spent in the fast-lane for the 20-year-old, who reflects on constantly being on the move courtesy of his 13 siblings who all pursued a different athletic interest.

“Basically, every one of my siblings did boxing, I’m the only one who hasn’t or won’t do it,” Law says.

“My dad loves boxing, so he introduced it to my siblings, but I just never really liked punching people in the face – it wasn’t that fun to me.”

More than a dozen boxers under one roof? Did the push-and-shove ever get too physical?

“Nah mate, they always have my back, so I’m chilling.”

But now Law is eyeing a unique lane in athletic history, hopeful of becoming the nation’s first men’s 200-metre Olympic gold medallist – and only the third Indigenous athlete to claim a medal as an individual.

Of 59 Indigenous competitors, nine medal-winners have taken part in team sports, with Cathy Freeman – Law’s idol – and swimmer Samantha Riley the only individuals to stand on the podium.

Law is adamant he will conquer the odds one day.

“I don’t really see the point in doing the sport if you don’t think you’re going to be the best, so I do think I’ll get there one day” he says.

“It may not be this year, but it could be the next one or the next one after that. I do think I’ll be there.”

However, just as he was hitting his straps – winning bronze in the under-20s world championships and making the semi-finals as a senior in 2022 – Law hit a roadblock.

A series of stress fractures in his back, identified in January 2023, sidelined him for most of the year, putting a significantly restricted timeline on his prospects of improving to an Olympic qualifying standard.

But Law has always been a fast learner. He recalls taking out his first national under-20s title in 21.11 seconds – he admits if he ran that time today, he would “probably cry”.

Less than a year later, only a few months before his injury, he recorded a personal best of 20.42 – just 25 milliseconds off automatic Olympic qualification.

For some, it could have meant the end of a chance to take on the likes of American superstar Noah Lyles.

Not for Law.

By November, one month after his return to training, he was the Pacific Games champion in both the 100m and 200m. Come April, he was the Australian 200m heavyweight, recording a time just 12 milliseconds off his best.

“Basically, [the stress fractures] was just a thing that happened over time. I wasn’t treating my body right for the way I was competing and training, so I put it on myself,” Law says.

“It ended up being a few stress fractures in my spine, and it took eight to nine months to recover from them completely.

“I wasn’t allowed to train and race and all that stuff.

“[But] I was pretty confident, I didn’t really let it bother me, to be honest. It happens to everyone, so I just had to get through it all.

“It wasn’t super painful, the recovery was just super boring, and I’m an easily bored and impatient person, so that’s basically what got to me.

“But never at one point was I doubting that I could get back to where I was.”

The ordeal gave Law the chance to assess just how he could take his exploits to new heights upon his return, and how his life away from sport could play a role.

More recently, the Queenslander joined forces with The Iconic’s Got You Looking campaign – collaborating with fellow Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls Rohan Browning, Rachael Gunn, Alexa Leary and Rheed McCracken to promote “confidence and empowerment”.

Law still has a way to go to make his Olympic goal a reality, either needing to quickly boost his best time or garner enough competition points to force his way into the mix, beginning with the Oceania Championships in Fiji from June 1.

However, the Caboolture prospect has already booked his ticket to Paris, after the men’s relay team garnered automatic qualification at the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas - finishing second in their second heat in 38.46 seconds.

He will be joined by Sebastian Sultana, Jacob Despart and Josh Azzopardi in the quest to become the first Australian men’s relay team to win an Olympic medal.

That chance will culminate an unheralded rise from relative obscurity - one which all began back when his aunt sensed he had the makings of a future champion.

“I was never the best, I was never the fastest when I was younger as a junior, and then I think it was my first year as an under-20 I finally did pretty good, and from then I’ve been pretty switched on and actually thinking this could go somewhere,” Law says.

“But I’ve got to stay consistent with my training and not get wrapped up in everything. You’ve got to be smart.”